


does it look a little something like this?

by mapledonut



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 04:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18358412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mapledonut/pseuds/mapledonut
Summary: Emily and JJ, starting from Emily's "death" and cheetobreath days.





	does it look a little something like this?

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the delay! Here's the first chapter: it's taking me a little longer because the timeline is all mixed up in my head. Definitely had to read summaries of past episodes to figure out what's happened vs what's yet to happen (lol). If you enjoy reading this and would like to see more, please comment! Those comments are like life to my little writing soul.

“You’ve been really glued to your phone lately.” JJ looks up for a second to and sees Spence. “Everything okay?”

“Umm, yeah,” she waves her hand in dismissal, smiling sadly at boy genius’ concerns, “just, you know, been looking at old pictures of Emily and the gang.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe she’s really gone.”

JJ nods her head in agreement, quickly exiting from the app “Words with Friends” to pull up photos of Emily. She beckons Reid closer.

Reid solemnly smiles. “Hey, remember this? The first time Emily and I played chess… I can’t believe you took a picture of us.”

“I mean, yeah, how could I not? My two closest friends, face-to-face in showdown,” JJ says jokingly. Reid lets out a laugh, the first one JJ’s heard ever since the funeral.

“Speaking of showdowns,” Garcia frantically walks into the conference room, “we have one in Los Angeles, California. Jane Doe, presumed to be 25, found dead and wrapped up in a blanket in the middle of the park. Cause of death was asphyxiation, and…” Garcia pauses and changes the slide, revealing the victim’s severed legs. “And, the gruesome gruesome horror that she underwent.

“We’ve had two murders just like this one in the past month. Meet Clarissa Helens, 31, found in Arizona, and Muriel Sanders, 24, from Nevada. Both died of asphyxiation, and, you guessed it, was missing, you know,” Garcia gestures wildly to her legs, “their bottom halves. The first victim was found around one month ago, and the second one a week ago.”

The profiling begins, like a well-practiced symphony with each instrument adding to the chorus. “The time between kills is decreasing… our unsub is devolving.” “Wrapping the body up in a blanket? Looks like regret. That could speak to the unsub’s care for the victims,” someone says. “Our unsub’s also crossing state lines. He has to have some job or means that allows him to travel often,” says another. “Race, age, and gender are similar, though. And all three women have blonde hair. They could be a surrogate for someone – a friend, lover, ex-wife.” “What about the legs? Could be a way to prevent the women from running, but I bet you there’s deeper significance than that.” “Leaving the bodies in public parks could indicate he’s making a statement of some kind.”

“Alright.” Hotch breaks in, “wheels up in 30.”

JJ looks up at the slides, a pang in her heart. The profiler in her bets there’s no way these women weren’t raped. It’s as if the unsub was grooming them in his own twisted way, as they weren’t physically harmed in any other way. The mental trauma, though… These cases – the ones that involved women and assault – were always the hardest. She picks up her phone.

_Case_ for 6 points. 

There’s an immediate response. _Luck_ for 10.

She smiles and imagines the brunette lazing around Europe, eating her way through each city. And of course, spending lots of time playing Scrabble. She and Prentiss have come up with subtle ways of communicating, often through one-word phrases – they avoided the chat when they could in case any of Prentiss’ privacy was being hacked. Of course, it wasn’t always easy coming up with words because of the randomized letters, so the two had many many active games going. If one board didn’t give them the necessary letters, then on to the next.

Another notification from the game. _Safe_ for 7 points.


End file.
